Identity of Speakers
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Intercollegiate Studies Institute
Unaffiliated
OtherA nonprofit educational organization that promotes conservative thought on college campuses.
Resources
Additional Information
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Incident Nature:
Rally or protest
Recognized student group event
Other student-organized event
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Incident Political Orientation:
Right wing -
Incident Responses:
Rally or Protests
Campus police
Other Law Enforcement
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Incident Status:
No litigation
- Was Speech Code incident
Summary
The University of Pittsburgh rescinded a hefty security fee billed to the conservative nonprofit that hosted a transgender issues debate in April.
After reviewing debate-related communications, Pitt officials “concluded that there may have been a miscommunication” about the fee and canceled it.
The university initially required the Intercollegiate Studies Institute to pay over $18,700 in event-related fees for the debate — “Should transgenderism be regulated by law?” — between conservative Daily Wire commentator Michael Knowles and gay libertarian journalist Brad Polumbo.
The debate sparked intense backlash from some Pitt students and community members, whose attempts to shut down the debate culminated in a fiery protest on the day of the event.
Some protesters started fires in the street outside the campus building that housed the debate, while others threw an explosive device at police officers. The explosion caused Pitt to close several campus buildings. The protest also blocked entrances to Oakland hospitals, prompting first responders to send any potential transports to other facilities.
Two Regent Square residents were later charged for their involvement in the protest.
Pitt officials told ISI that the security fee covered the overtime staffing of 28 police officers and 11 university supervisors. ISI President John Burtka referred to the fee as “outrageous.”
Pitt’s decision to rescind the fee comes after Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian advocacy group, urged the university to do so in a June letter. The group also asked Pitt to modify its event guidelines to clarify the criteria for fee determination and forbid fees based on “expected listener reaction and the content and viewpoint of speech.”
ADF alleged Pitt violated the First Amendment by urging ISI to cut the event short due to safety concerns. The Q&A portion of the debate ended early and a contractually required meet-and-greet with Mr. Knowles did not occur, according to ADF.
Taken from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article
